I Want Mommy!
by writer writing
Summary: Clark finds his future children and must figure out how to send them back. He also wants to find their mother before they make him crazy.
1. Chapter 1

Clark was taking an evening stroll at normal earth speed.

He had to decide what he was going to do before summer ended. He was seriously considering switching over to Metropolis University but he still wasn't sure about his major. Chloe was trying to talk him into journalism like always and he didn't know if he enjoyed it because Chloe made it seem fun or because he liked it. Lois kept telling him to quit trying to avoid destiny and accept that agriculture was going to be his major and law enforcement his minor. He had been raised on a farm but he didn't find farm work challenging or fulfilling and though he liked to save people, he couldn't picture himself with a gun. His mom hadn't told him what she thought he should go into. She said he had to figure it out himself. He thought about politics. His mom and Lois seemed like they liked it okay. His dad had liked it. Maybe he should just try taking one of those career tests.

Life wasn't full of easy choices. It would only get harder when he had to choose who to spend the rest of his life with and then when he had children, they would depend on his decisions. This is assuming there is a woman out there for him or that he was able to have kids. Picking a major was only the beginning.

He was walking by the cave, when a 4-year-old girl came staggering out and carrying what must've been her 1-year-old baby brother.

When she saw him, she placed her brother down and began to walk toward him. She looked angry with her fists balled up and her bottom lip stuck out. She walked right up to him and kicked him in the shin.

He grabbed his leg. It's not that she had seriously injured him. He supposed most Earth adults felt this sort of pain when an Earth child kicked them but he was different. How could a little girl hurt him?

"I want Mommy!"

"Don't worry little girl. I'll find your mother. Believe me!" he said rubbing his leg, "where is she?"

"I don't know! We're lost!" she yelled in distress.

The baby began to cry, so Clark picked him up.

"This is all your fault!" said the little girl.

"My fault?"

"If you'd been watching us like Mommy said to, we wouldn't have touched the bad crystal, Daddy!"

Clark didn't know what to say. He just looked back and forth between the two children.

TBC 


	2. Chapter 2

When he thought about it, the idea that he could be their father wasn't so far fetched. Things like this happened in Smallville. The girl had his dark hair and the boy had his blue eyes. The girl's super strength had to come from somewhere but it seemed like the boy had normal strength for a baby. Supposedly, touching a crystal sent them back in time. Maybe if he could find that crystal--

"I'm hungry!" said the girl.

"Hush! If you want to go home I--"

"I'm hungry now!" said the girl, as her foot came up off the ground.

"Okay, we'll get something to eat," he said quickly.

They began heading toward the Kent farm. He couldn't concentrate on how to get them home if he didn't and he couldn't have them getting in the way, while he tried to solve the problem. His mom would watch them. The baby seemed sweet tempered and without powers but he wondered how his future wife dealt with their demon seed.

"Where are we going, Daddy?"

"To my mom's, I mean your grandmom's house."

"Yay! I bet she's got yummy cookies for me. She's a better cook than you."

"I'm not arguing with you, little girl, am I?"

"Why are you calling me little girl? My name's Lilly!"

"Sorry, Lilly."

"Where's Mommy?"

"I wish I knew."

"You lost her."

"I didn't lose her."

"Then where is she?" she asked, stopping and putting her hands on her hips.

"Do you act this was way around your mother, talking back and kicking her?"

"No. Mommy doesn't take my crap."

"That's not a nice word!"

"Mommy says it."

Clark sighed. He was beginning to dread his future. At least his wife could handle the girl. He really needed to find her.

"Can you tell me your mommy's real name or what she looks like, Lilly?"

"You're making fun of me!" She folded her arms and said, "I'm not talking to you."

That went well. However the silent treatment was a nice change but 3 minutes later…

"Daddy, why is the sun yellow?"

"God made it that color."

"Why isn't it red? I like red."

"Actually--"

"Daddy?"

"What?"

"Where's your glasses?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Daddy?"

"Do you ever stop asking questions?"

"Why didn't we fly there?"

"No tickets."

"What?"

"Look, Lilly. There's grandma's house."

"Yippee!" she shouted and began to run.

"Well, son. It looks like she hasn't developed super speed only strength so far. That's good."

The baby giggled.

They all went inside and Clark turned on the TV and sat the kids in front of it.

"Mom!" Clark hollered, "I have a surprise!"

Martha was in the kitchen cooking supper. She handled the news pretty well.

"You mean those two kids out there are my future grandchildren?"

"It would seem so," he answered.

"It could be worse. They could be my present grandchildren. They aren't are they?"

"Of course not!"

"Okay. I trust you. Let me guess. You want me to baby sit?"

"What else is a grandmother for?" he said with a teasing but charming Kent smile.

"I'd love to spend some time with them but I have an important meeting after supper that I can't break."

He sighed, "I have to work on the situation. Their parents must be freaking out. Who could I get to baby sit?"

"Hi, Mamaw! I wanted to say hello before but Looney Tunes was on," Lilly said, as she hugged Martha.

"That's okay."

"Your hair's a funny color. It's supposed to be white."

"Thank you for telling me, sweetheart," Martha laughed, "you want some spaghetti?"

"I love spaghetti," she said jumping up and down.

Clark walked into the living room. The baby was asleep.

Why didn't he think of it before? Lana might very well be the children's mother and even if she wasn't, she was still great with kids. She would baby sit.

TBC 


	3. Chapter 3

Clark was running water over a washrag. He picked Lilly up and sat her beside the kitchen sink. He began the process of cleaning spaghetti sauce off of her.

For the life of him, he didn't know how kids were able to get sauce all the way up on their foreheads. Why couldn't his mom have fixed something less messy?

"I want Mommy to clean me up!" she said.

"Mommy's not here," he said, holding out his arm in case she tried to kick.

"When will we see Mommy?"

"Soon I hope."

"Tonight?"

"Maybe but I can't promise anything."

"Oh boy! I get to see my mommy."

It went in one ear and out the other. She needed to inherit his super hearing. He hoped Lana was her mother for everyone's sake.

"There! You're all cleaned up except for your clothes. Mamaw's going to wash them if she gets some time," he said, as he helped her down," oh and before I forget, I want to play a game."

"What game?"

"Whenever we're around somebody besides Mamaw or brother, we'll call each other by our first names."

She looked at him suspiciously. She was a smart 4-year-old.

"You already call me by my first name," she said.

"See? I'm already in the lead. You better start calling me Clark, if you want to win."

"You're weird, Daddy but I'll play if you want."

There was the sound of a car door.

"Mommy's here!" she shouted.

She opened the front door and threw herself around Lana's legs. Lilly looked up with her face full of happiness and excitement and saw Lana's face. The expression changed to confusion then anger.

She turned toward Clark and yelled, "you lied to me! That's not my mommy!" and then ran up to Clark's room, slamming the door.

"Sorry, Lana. I shouldn't have called you to baby sit. She's a little emotional. I should just wait until my mom gets back."

"I have nothing better to do. Lex is out of town. I want to watch them. Go do whatever it is you were going to do."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Remember the boy with the aging problem that thought we were his parents. I can handle children."

"Okay. When she comes out, get her ready for bed and the baby should sleep. I brought them some things they needed during supper. It's in a bag on the kitchen table. There's diapers, baby food, toys, toothbrush, and all that stuff."

"I'm a professional babysitter. I know what to do."

"Watch out for the girl. She may try to kick or throw a heavy object. If she does, run!"

"Whose kids are they anyway?"

"Um. They belong to a distant relative of mine and we're keeping them for a little bit."

"I thought she kind of looked like you. What's their names?"

"The girl's is Lilly but I'm not sure about the boy. Lilly just calls him brother. He's asleep in my old playpen in Mom's room. If I'm going anywhere, I better go."

"Have fun!"

Clark got in the truck. He didn't want Lana to know or suspect that it had anything to do with the cave.

He supposed he knew deep down that Lana wasn't their mother. She was a childhood sweetheart, who was going to remain one. Their romantic relationship had truly come to an end. He couldn't think of any other woman in his life that he had ever had those kinds of feelings for. The truth was he probably hadn't even met the mother-to-be yet and he was going to be handling the kids by himself, hopefully for a short period of time.

He got out and began to carefully search the cave. There wasn't a crystal to be found. He hated to do it but maybe he should look in the fortress for the answers. Someone came in before he could leave. It was just his mother.

"The meeting wasn't very long," he remarked.

"No. It's getting late. If you're going where I think you're going, maybe you should just wait. If you do find a way to send them back, you can't do it tonight. It's passed their bedtime. You might as well wait."

"Okay, Mom," he said. He suspected that part of this reasoning was so she could spend more time with them.

They both drove home. They weren't prepared for what they saw.

Lana came running out of the house before they even got out of the vehicles. Her hair was out of place and her eyes were wide.

"Lana, are you okay?" Clark asked.

"No, I'm not okay. I tried to get Lilly to come out but she just kept screaming and then the baby woke up and I couldn't get him to stop crying. He kept saying mama, dada."

"We'll take over. Thanks for trying," Martha said.

"No, thank you for coming back. Those kids really make you wonder whether it's worth keeping the earth populated," she said.

Clark had to bite back a smile. She was serious. She took off before you could blink your eyes. She'd get over it. His kids weren't that bad, they just missed their mother. He x-rayed to check on them. They had both fallen asleep. Lilly looked sort of angelic, when she was asleep.

"Well, there goes a babysitter for tomorrow. As much as I hate to, I have to work. Senators can't just take a day off whenever they feel like it. Have you thought about Chloe?" she asked.

Chloe was perfect. She was home. She knew about strange occurrences and his powers, so she could know who the children were. She was a good friend. She'd baby sit.

TBC 


	4. Chapter 4

The sun was bright that day. Clark was holding the baby and Lilly was galloping around the room. Clark was desperately waiting for Chloe's arrival. She hadn't been able to come until 12:00.

Of course, his mom had left early that morning. So he has been experiencing the joys of fatherhood by himself for 4 hours and he was ready to stop experiencing it. Diapers were his least favorite part but Lilly's constant asking about her mother came in second place. She had forgiven him for 'lying', so he wasn't going to risk telling her about Chloe.

There was the sound of a car door. He thought that had to be the greatest sound in the world.

Lilly must've heard because she ran to the window and saw Chloe. She got a surprised look on her face and started smiling and yelling, "yippee!"

Clark drew in his breath. Chloe must be her mother. It's not that he didn't like her. She was his best friend. It's just that he couldn't picture her in that way. She was a chum, like a sister, his partner in crime sometimes but a wife?

Lilly threw open the door and hugged her.

"This is a monster?" mouthed Chloe.

Clark didn't know what to say. He just shrugged.

"Did you bring me a present, Aunt Chloe?" Lilly asked.

"Sorry. I just brought me."

Clark let the air out. He realized he'd been holding it in all that time. Of course, Lilly knew and liked Chloe. Chloe was his closest friend. She was probably not only an honorary aunt but the children's godmother.

Chloe took the baby and said, "half the day's gone, you better go. You told me it all over the phone."

"Right. You should be more than okay. They like you. Bye."

"Bye"  
---

Chloe was lounging on the couch. This was a piece of cake.

Lilly had gone outside to play after she had asked Chloe if she knew where her mommy was and of course, Chloe had said no. Lilly had then explained that Mommy, Daddy, Brother, and her had been at the ice fort. Mommy felt sick because of the new baby brother or sister, so she had stepped outside. Chloe thought it was a good thing that Clark didn't know another one was on the way in the future or he might go off the deep end. She reckoned his older self must be better with kids if there was going to be a third one. Anyway, Lilly said while Daddy was playing with the crystals and not watching them, they had touched one of them. It felt blurry and then they were in the cave. They came out and found Daddy was acting like he didn't know what was going on and he had lost Mommy.

The baby was mesmerized by Blue's Clues.

"You like following clues," Chloe said, "you're going to be a reporter like your Aunt Chloe, aren't you?"

The baby laughed and kept watching TV.

There was a knock on the door. Clark shouldn't be back so soon and Martha wasn't supposed to be coming back until tonight. She had a luncheon to go to.

Chloe opened the door a crack. It was her cousin.

"The Kents aren't here, Lois."

"You don't think I know that?" she said pushing the door wide open and coming in, "Martha's my boss. She told me that you were going to baby sit their relatives."

"So why are you here?"

"I'm on a lunch break."

"I thought you didn't take lunch breaks, Miss Workaholic."

"Better a workaholic than an alcoholic. I ran into Lana this morning and heard all about the black sheep of the Kent Family. I had to see them and see how my cousin was suckered into babysitting."

"I wasn't suckered. I'm doing a friend a favor. They're not that bad."

"The heck they're not. Lana doesn't get on the verge of a nervous breakdown for nothing. Where are they?"

"The boy is watching TV."

Lois, keeping out of view, looked at the baby.

"And the girl is out back playing."

Lois went over to the blinds and pulled it carefully apart.

"Darn it! I wanted to see the horns and tails Lana was swearing they had," she said, walking over to the fridge, "I love spaghetti! The Kents don't usually have leftovers. The kids must be making them lose their appetites."

Lois also grabbed a slice of bread. She sat down at the table and pulled out another chair to prop her feet up on. Chloe sat across from her.

"You don't want to meet the kids personally?" Chloe teased.

"I hate kids and they hate me. I can't take their crap. So is Clark enjoying himself? Give me the scoop on his misery."

"You get joy from people's misery."

"No, I don't. Just Clark's. Now tell me."

"Lilly has kicked him in the shin and she yells a lot. That's all I can remember."

"Is that all? I used to be like that when I was little. Probably worse."

"You still are," Chloe laughed.

The baby began to cry.

"Hold on. I'll bring the baby in here, Lois."

"No, thank you. I should be getting back. I only get an hour."

"Sit down and finish your spaghetti. It's only a baby."

Lois looked wary but stayed in her seat. When Chloe brought the baby in, he began to reach for her.

"I think he wants you, Lois," she said sitting back in her seat.

"Yeah, right. I don't touch rug rats, especially ones from Smallville. You never know when they start moving glass or something equally weird and dangerous. I bet these kids have some sort of powers."

"That's ridiculous. This baby's perfectly normal." ( that was true for now)

The baby started to cry for Lois, so Chloe sat him in her lap whether she liked it or not.

"Get him off me!"

"He likes you. Look at him snuggling up to you. He must think you're his mommy."

A disturbing thought crossed Chloe's mind. Was Lois his mommy? That was insane. Lois wasn't the motherly type. She was the big sister type at best. Even more insane was the idea that Clark and Lois would have children together. They fought too much. They were as different as night and day but even night and day met together twice every 24 hours. 'Chloe Sullivan,' she told herself, 'don't be stupid!'

"Get him off. He's asleep," Lois whispered uncomfortably.

Chloe grabbed a pillow and laid him on the floor.

"I really do have to go. Is Clark going to finish this spaghetti do you think?"

"Probably. Why?"

"No reason," she said, as she dusted the bread crumbs from her hands over the spaghetti.

Yep. It was stupid to think that Lois could be the mother of Clark's children.

Lois put the spaghetti up.

"Aren't you going to get something to drink?" Chloe asked.

"I've still got pop at the office."

Lois cocked her head at the baby and said, "what is the baby's name?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"I just thought he looks like a Jason. I've always liked that name. It means 'to heal'."

Lois slammed the door, causing the baby to wake up."

"George?" no response "Jason?" The baby turned his head to look and then fell back asleep.

Lois always did have great instincts. She really should consider journalism.  
---

Clark was talking to Jor-El.

"How did they get here and how do I send them back?" Clark asked.

"I used a crystal merely because they touched it at the same time. It has no powers. I picked up on your problems and sent them back to help make your decisions easier."

"What decisions?"

"You wanted to know what to choose as a major, you wanted to know if there was a woman out there for you, and if you could have and handle kids together. When they've helped you with those three things, come back and they will be sent back.

So he had to pick a major, find his future wife, and together they had to bond with their kids. This was just great!

TBC 


	5. Chapter 5

Clark, Lilly, and the baby were having breakfast at the Talon. It turned out Martha had to meet someone early that morning, so she had spent the night at the capital and therefore Clark was spending breakfast here, so he wouldn't have to watch them while he tried to fix breakfast and wash dishes.

"Where's Mamaw?" Lilly asked.

"At work but she's going to take you out to the movies this evening."

"Oh boy! I want popcorn," she responded.

"Jason, finish this last bite of baby food."

The baby opened his mouth and ate it. He fell asleep in the car seat Clark had brought almost immediately. He couldn't believe Chloe had guessed the baby's name. She said she had a little help from someone's intuition but she hadn't said who's. He had gotten hopeful that the intuition had come from one of Chloe's college friends, who would turn out to be the kids' mother but Chloe assured him that it didn't and couldn't be in a million years. He had to find the mother of-

"Daddy?"

"Don't forget our game."

"Clark? Can I have a drink of your coffee?"

"It'll stunt your growth. Your chocolate milk is just fine."

"Mommy would let me try coffee," she mumbled under her breath.

Then she saw someone behind him and yelled, "Mom-"

Clark covered her mouth with his hand. His wife and the mother of his children was in here? He sneaked a quick look behind him. Sitting at the table directly behind him was a cute redhead. She had pretty green eyes and freckles on her nose. She was studiously reading a book. He was one lucky man or he would be.

"Lilly, Mommy wants to play the first name game too," he said removing his hand.

She gave him a funny look but yelled, "Lois!"

That was odd that he would marry someone with that name after knowing Lois Lane. He turned to see if the redhead heard Lilly and that's when he spotted Lois selecting her morning muffins. He followed Lilly's gaze and saw that she was indeed looking at Lois Lane.

"Lois!" she said again trying to get up but Clark held her down.

Lois looked their way with a puzzled expression. When she saw Clark with the kids, she got an evil smile on he face and you could tell that she was going to stop by the table when she was finished to laugh at Clark's problems or two problems to be exact.

This had to be a dream. No. It had to be a nightmare. He pinched himself. He was awake. He felt nauseous.

"Hey, Smallville. I'm glad to see you're hanging out with people on your own level," she said, as she sat down on one of the chairs.

Lilly reached out to hug Lois.

"Put those sticky hands in your lap, little girl!"

Lilly obeyed and started to say, "but-"

"Didn't your mother ever teach you manners? Children should be seen but not heard."

Clark looked at Lilly. She was acting like a trained puppy dog around Lois. He felt sorry for her. Her eyes were shining with admiration for her mom and craving for her attention, as she watched Lois' every move.

Lois pulled a muffin out of her bag and began to eat.

"Don't you have to get to work?" Clark asked.

"Your mother's always insisting I take breaks to eat and not come in so early, so that's what I'm doing. I was going to eat at the office but it's not every day I get to eat with a farm boy and his two evil munchkin relatives."

He could never get her to leave. That must be why he ended up marrying her. If you can't beat them, join them.

As much as Lilly respected her mom, she couldn't stay still and quiet for too long, "tell me one of your poems."

Lois almost choked on the coffee that she had stolen from Clark.

He thought for a second that he saw a look of shock and embarrassment on her face but it must've been his imagination.

"Look, young lady, I don't know where you got that idea but I don't write poetry or anything else for that matter, so you better shut your mouth."

"She's right, Lilly. I know Lois very well and she hates writing papers, articles, or any of that stuff. You have to be talented and sensitive to write poetry."

Lois gave him an angry look.

"But you do! Sometimes you hide it in a box but sometimes you write poetry for me and brother and you write it for Da-I mean Clark."

Lois began to turn red and not from anger but actual embarrassment.

"You know what? On second thought, I have a long drive."

"Don't go, Mommy!"

Lois got even more uncomfortable at being called that.

"I ha-have to go. I-I," she stuttered, "bye!"

She grabbed her muffins and stumbled out the door.

Clark was in a state of shock himself. Lois Lane wrote poetry. Poetry about him? He would marry her 10 times to know what it said. This also meant that he had been wrong about her. Somewhere behind that gruff exterior and the sarcastic remarks was a woman with feelings. A woman he would come to love and have kids with and she had just run out the door to escape them. So he knew there was a woman out there for him, but how was he going to get her to bond with him and the kids now. He had only completed one of the three tasks. Maybe he should start checking into colleges for the kids because it didn't look like they would ever go back.

Lilly had gotten up and was hugging him.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. You didn't lose Mommy. I love you," she sounded as though she was close to tears, "and I'm sorry I was so mean to that lady and specially you. I just missed Mommy."

"I know. I love you too."

He looked down at her. For the first time, he saw she had Lois' green eyes but she hadn't completely inherited Lois' personality. Sure they both talked a lot, had too much energy, they were impulsive, but Lilly was much more open to what she and others were feeling, whereas Lois stuck to facts and truth. Neither way was bad, as long as it wasn't taken to extremes. He wanted to get to know more about his children now and surprisingly, Lois too. There was more to Lois than what there appeared.

TBC 


	6. Chapter 6

There was a knock on his bedroom door. He didn't have to use his x-ray vision. He knew it was Lilly. He opened it.

"Are you going to church?" she asked.

"Not until tomorrow. Why?"

"You're all dressed up. I thought you always wear plaid on the farm."

"I'm going to see your mom and I thought I might as well look nice. I could use a girl's opinion though," he said as he sat her on the foot of his bed, "the blue tie or the red tie?"

"The blue one. It matches your eyes."

Clark stood in front of the mirror, as he put on his tie. He looked at Lilly's reflection. She still looked upset and mopey.

"So did you enjoy the movie?" he asked.

"It was funny."

He went over and sat beside her.

"It's about your mom, isn't it?"

She didn't answer.

"I've learned to take what your mom says with a grain of salt. It's taken me a long time to realize it but she's not a bad person. She's just not always aware of how her words make others feel. However, I have a feeling she'll come around sooner or later."

"It's just she acted weird. Mommy always plays with me like she's a big kid. She hardly ever orders me around unless she has to. She looks like Mommy, sounds like Mommy and acts a lot like Mommy but somehow she seems different. It's not just Mommy either. You act weird and different."

"I do?"

"You don't act as strong or like you know what to do. Everybody's a little different. Things are different. At first, it didn't bother me. I like doing new stuff. I like Shelby but I miss Krypto. I like playing on the farm but I miss the city. Nothing seems right and why does Mamaw have an old calendar? I'm starting to feel scared."

He put his arm around her and said, "there's nothing to be scared about. I'll fix everything. I promise. Just relax and have fun."

She looked up and smiled. She knew her dad could fix just about anything.

"You probably know your mom better than I do at this point. Do you think she'd like candy or flowers?"

"Both, I guess."

"Let's see, I know she likes any kind of chocolates. Do you know what her favorite flowers are, Lilly?"

She laughed and said, "you just said it."

"Lilies? Duh! Her daughter's name. I knew that."

Lilly laughed harder.

He stood up and struck a model's pose, asking, "do you think your mom will let your handsome daddy through the door?"

She had her arms folded across her stomach with laughter.

"Bye, sweetheart. I'll see you later."

"Can't I go see Mommy with you?"

"I think it's better if I see her first until she starts to feel and act more like the mommy you know."

"Okay. Bye, Daddy."

He hugged her goodnight and then he made a stop to say goodnight to Jason. He had already gone to bed. Clark stroked his light brown hair. He wondered if this was Lois' natural shade. It was hard to tell the way she kept it highlighted. He said goodbye to his mom and then headed out in the night air to try and reason with Lois.  
-  
He stood in front of Lois' apartment door and knocked. He had knots in his stomach.

What was he doing? Lois would never let him in after what happened this morning and worse yet, he was trying to woo her. That was like trying to woo a crocodile. Even the crocodile hunter couldn't woo this crocodile.

He was about to go back down the steps, when Lois opened the door.

"Woah, Smallville! Got a hot date, tonight?" she said, as she moved to let him in.

"Not really. I just didn't have anything else to wear. I brought you candy and flowers."

"No need. I've forgotten about this morning. I talked to a friend, who's studying psychology, and she said the kid was taking her feelings of an absent mother and applying them to me."

"Yeah. It's something like that. I should just tell you why I'm here. I want you to go to church with us tomorrow and then go on a picnic afterwards."

"I can't if the kids are going to be there."

"Why do you hate kids so much?" he practically shouted in exasperation.

"I just do. I can't explain it."

"If you tell me, I'll leave."

She gave him a long look like she was studying him for an explanation.

"Fine. I'll tell you and maybe then you'll understand why I can't be around kids. I've never told anyone this. The only people who know are me and the General. Lucy was too young to remember," she sighed heavily, " I was little but I remember it clearly. I came home from school and Mom wasn't there. We tell everybody she died of lung cancer but the truth is she left of her own free will. She ran away with some man. Dad blamed me. He said I was too much of a handful for her. He said I wasn't responsible enough. So I tried hard to be good and responsible. I took care of Lucy. I studied hard but she never came back and for awhile I was afraid Dad might leave too. When I found nothing I did worked, I blamed the General. I thought he was so mean and scary that he drove her away but he wasn't the one that abandoned us. When I got older, I realized Mom chose to leave and only Mom." At this point, tears started to form, "and I'm afraid that I'm just like her. Mom was an alcoholic and she was always smoking. I remember the alcohol most because she used to let me take a sip every now and then. She said it made you happier and calmer. I still carry that thinking around but it only made her more depressed. Alcohol cost me an education. It really only makes things worse. Then there are relationships. I'm never happy with a man. I get bored and I move on. I don't want to get married because I know I'll just move on to a more exciting relationship. Most of all though I don't want to have kids or even be around children at all. I'll just end up hurting them and leaving them. I have to put these flowers in water."

She turned around to leave but Clark caught her by the shoulders and turned her back around.

"Lois, I don't know what to say except that's not true. You are the strongest and most independent person I know and you will not follow in your mother's footsteps. You are unbelievably caring. You would never hurt the people you love intentionally. You are loyal and you would help them if it cost you your life. Look at Chloe. You are always there for her. You don't always come out and say it but you show love through your actions. I know for a fact that when you have kids, they'll love you and turn out beautifully."

She had stopped crying but one last tear was rolling down her cheek, as she asked, "you think so?"

"I know so. Come to the picnic and you'll see that children can and will think you're the greatest."

"Okay. I'll try anything once and that includes church but you better go, so I can get in bed early."

She shut the door behind him. He was finally getting somewhere with her. He was learning to like and respect Lois even if he didn't love her yet.

He almost forgot something. He turned around and x-rayed her apartment. He wanted to have a look at those poems. All he found was a lead box. Did she do that on purpose? She couldn't have. She had no idea that he couldn't see through that metal but whether she knew it or not, she couldn't have picked a safer box to put her poems in.

TBC 


	7. Chapter 7

Lois ran the brush through her hair one more time and then surveyed herself in the mirror. She had ran out last night to get an appropriate dress. It was a long, pink and flowery dress with a matching bow to put in her hair. She didn't like the style but she didn't want to stick out in church as a lost sheep and it would seem less threatening to the kids. 

The horn blared. Clark had called this morning to make sure she was awake. She had insisted she was but the call had acted as her alarm clock. He had told her they were coming by to pick her up. She didn't know why. She had her own car. She didn't know why he had even invited her in the first place. She liked to tease him and he was a good friend to her but she thought his goal was to be around her as little as possible. The horn blared again.

She yelled out the window, "keep your shirt on, Smallville! I'm coming!" as she put on her sandals.

When she got out there, she could've sworn she saw Clark's mouth hanging open in a you-look-pretty manner but maybe it was more a Lois-in-a-pink-dress-?

She opened the passenger door and realized the little girl was also in the truck and that she had to sit beside her.

They began the trip to church..

"Where's your mother and the baby?" she asked.

"The lady in charge of the nursery is sick and Mom didn't think he could stay quiet during an hour long sermon."

"One hour? I don't know if I can stay quiet."

"We're going to swing by the house to get the baby and picnic basket after church. Mom's going to let us use her car since it's bigger and she's going to use the truck. She's got to work this afternoon."

"I know. Chief of Staff. Remember? I tried to work too but your mom made me take the day off."

"I know. Son. Remember?"

Lois cracked a smile and looked out the window. She used the glass' reflection to sneak a glance at the girl. Lilly, or was it Millie, was silent this time and playing with her fingers. She had to make herself do this.

"Um…Lilly?"

She looked up. That was her name and it was a pretty name.

"I'm--I'm…what's the word I'm looking for?"

"Sorry?" Lilly spoke up.

"Yeah. That's it. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so rude yesterday."

Lois was surprised to receive a hug from the girl. Her first instinct was to pull away but she willed herself to pat Lilly on the back.

They pulled up to a little, white, country church. It could've come out of a painting.

She chuckled as she realized the waves of sound that had been going up and down next to her ear was Lilly's constant chatter. She wondered if that's what she sounded like to people sometimes.

"and I laughed because the prince didn't even know that it was the princess. I asked if we could see it again but she said I had to get a dress for church. I have the movie at home anyway."

She must've been talking about some movie on TV.

They got out of the truck and Lilly bounded ahead and called out, "I'll save us a good pew!"

Lois went to follow but Clark pulled her aside.

"Clark, if this is about what I told you last night, I don't want to hear it. Believe it or not, I did something I should've done a long time ago. I put it behind me. Once I let my emotions out, I'm very good about putting the past behind me and moving on."

"I just wanted to say that I'm proud of you, Lois. You did a good thing with Lilly," he said and he kissed her lightly on the cheek.

She placed her hand on her cheek in a dazed manner and said, "thanks, I guess. Are you feeling okay, Smallville?"

"Never felt better. We should get to our seats."

"Right"  
---

The sermon was on good parenting or something like that. She found it hard to listen to the preacher's monotone voice. The only break was when the choir or the congregation sang.

It annoyed her to realize that some people came to church in jeans and a t-shirt. She was going to burn her dress when she got back.

Her eyes wondered to the back of a bald guy's head. She admired the way the light above reflected on it. Then her eyes went to the stained glass windows. You couldn't see out. She wondered if that was on purpose to keep the church members' eyes and minds from being distracted. Clark was on her right actually paying attention. He didn't have kids. What was he learning from this? Lilly was on her left. She had put her heart into singing and greeting people but now she looked like she was bored and playing tic tac toe with herself. She was a smart girl. She must've come to church before and was prepared for the boredom. If she was a little girl, she would be playing with a pen and paper. Wait. Who said you needed to be little? She didn't care if people saw her playing tic tac toe.

She tapped Lilly on the shoulder and Lilly gave her the notebook and pen. Lilly seemed to know she wanted to play. As if they played tic tac toe every Sunday.

"Children should be disciplined and learn from their parents. 'The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.' However, don't let us forget that parents learn from their children as well. 'Anyone who will not receive God's kingdom like a little child will never enter it."

Lois had heard something to that effect before. She wasn't sure about God's kingdom but if it existed that made sense. She had never understood that last part until she met Lilly but Christians had to be forgiving and trusting even if you didn't completely understand the circumstances like a child. Lilly was a shining example and if God existed then faith and trust in a heavenly Father was well founded. There was some wisdom in this church thing. She'd have to think about it but she might actually come again, if she were asked.

She felt like singing hallelujah when it was over.

The preacher slowed things down by shaking everybody's hand at the door.

"Hi, Preacher Bob!" Lilly exclaimed.

"And who do we have here?" he asked.

"Lilly, silly! You know me. We come whenever we visit Mamaw."

Clark apologized for Lilly's imagination and they went on to the truck.

"Isn't it amazing?" Clark asked.

"What?" Lois asked

"It seems like when you need God to give you some advice and help, you somehow get His words through a sermon, a friend, or something."

Lois thought about this briefly.

Clark was tickling Lilly, as he helped her into the truck. Then he turned to help her.

"I'm a big girl that can get in on her own. I don't want to be tickled, Smallville.

Of course, by saying 'I don't want to be tickled' and calling him Smallville, she had guaranteed that she would be tickled.

They all got in the truck laughing and actually having fun.

For an instant, Lois felt like she was a part of a happy family. She began to feel excited about the picnic and seeing the baby.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Clark smoothed out the blanket and set the basket down. Lois sat down with the baby in her lap. Lilly took off running around the field with the baby doll that Clark had brought her.

He smiled at Lois. Even though she looked wonderful in a dress, she also looked uncomfortable. At least she looked at ease with Jason. In the short period of time that she had gotten to know Lilly, it had already made her more comfortable with children or their children anyway.

He laughed when he saw that Jason had fallen asleep. Was he always sleeping? He wasn't the most active baby in the world. He only crawled around when he had to. He was a sweet baby though. He didn't do a lot of crying or babbling but he smiled a lot.

"Actually, I'm kind of relieved that he's asleep. I was afraid that we'd have to keep him from eating bugs or something. Hand me a sandwich!"

He gave her a sandwich and she watched Lilly playing, while she ate.

He knew that Lois was attractive and he'd always known that. He had tried to lie to himself and say that she wasn't but she was. It just took him finding out that she would be his wife one day to realize that he couldn't continue to fight the fact that he thought she was beautiful.

He had originally set out to bond with her to get the children back where they belonged. He was surprised to find that he was really bonding with her and not only because of the children. He had just never taken the time to get to know her fun and charming side but then she had never shown it to him before. He thought he was already falling in love with her, if he hadn't already.

"A bug is going to fly into your mouth if you don't shut it, Smallville. Why don't you eat something and quit drooling for it."

He blushed. She didn't know he wasn't drooling over food.

"Look at Lilly."

"What's she doing?" Clark asked.

"She's making her doll fly. She acts like she's seen it done before. It went through a whole process. When the doll lifted off, she put one arm up and one down by its side and made it leap. Then both the arms and the legs got stuck straight out and the doll leveled out."

"Wow! You think that's how a person would go about flying?"

"I wouldn't go jumping off a skyscraper if I were you."

He wouldn't jump off a skyscraper. He would start with the barn where there was nobody watching. Lilly had given him the formula without knowing it.

"So has Chloe introduced you to anybody yet?"

"What? I don't think so."

"She's supposed to be setting you up with a Lori something. I think she's on a swim team."

"That's nice."

"You're not even paying attention."

"I am too."

"Then what did I say?"

"Chloe's going to introduce me and you're thinking about a swim team."

Lois rolled her eyes and said, "men! Hand me the lemonade."

Clark didn't remember much else about the picnic. It was a happy blur of food, laughing, and playing with the kids.

Clark dropped Lois off at her apartment. The kids were both asleep from all the energy they had spent at the picnic. He had wanted to kiss Lois goodbye. It had been tempting but he realized he was alone in these feelings. She liked him a lot but she didn't love him in a romantic way yet. Why would she? The feelings he had developed were premature and meant for later in their relationship. Jor-El had wanted him to realize that one day he would have a wonderful, lasting romance and a great family but not right now.

This meant that 2 of the 3 tasks had been completed. He only had to figure out his major. He didn't want to figure it out. It would mean not seeing his kids until years later. Lois would probably go back to her own thing without their kids to bring them closer. He wanted Lois, Lilly, and Jason to be his family now. He wasn't going to complete the third task or go back to the fortress.

TBC 


	9. Chapter 9

It was later that Sunday night. 

Lilly was sitting Indian style and watching a cartoon, the baby had went to bed, his mom was dusting the living room, and he was reading the Sunday newspaper.

His mom began to dust the TV.

Lilly jumped up and shouted, "I can help!"

Lilly picked up the heavy TV like she was picking up a balloon. His mom was stunned for a second because this was the first display of strength from Lilly that she had seen. However, she quickly regained her composure and swept where the TV had been. A woman, who had raised a full Kryptonian, wasn't going to be worried about the powers of a half Kryptonian.

The strength was easy to manage. You had to put energy and concentration into it especially at a young age. The kids would be easy to handle until their teenage years, when all the powers began to kick in and they might not get all of them or at least not to the same degree as his.

He went back to reading the paper, when he felt the couch bounce a little.

"Daddy, I want to look at the comics!"

He gave them to her and turned his attention back to the international news. It didn't take her long to look at it because she couldn't read yet.

"Daddy, I want to see your's and Mommy's article."

"What?"

"What did you all write in the paper, today?"

Darn it! That meant that he, and apparently Lois, had gone into journalism. He had found his major and completed the 3rd task without wanting to. It didn't matter though. The kids weren't going to magically disappear. He had to bring them back to the fortress.

"Lilly, your parents didn't write an article," his mom said, coming to the rescue, "it's your bedtime now."

"Okay. Goodnight, everybody!"

He hugged Lilly goodnight.  
---

"Clark, you are so uncool!" Lilly said. "It's 2016 and you're still living in the past. He's only 16. That's 2 years apart."

"No. There are more years than that," Clark answered her.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. I don't like the idea of you riding in the car with him driving."

"If we wrecked, it wouldn't hurt me! You are such a jerk!" Lilly ran to her room and slammed the door.

11-year-old Jason stood wide-eyed at the scene, as he ate his sandwich.

"You understand, don't you?" Clark asked his son.

He merely shrugged and walked over to the TV.

Clark sighed and went into the kitchen for a sandwich. Jason had eaten the last of the bologna.

He took a photo out of his wallet. Lilly and Jason were 12 and 9 in the picture. He and Lois were also in it. Lois was pregnant with Carol at the time. Then there was 4-year-old Millie and 1-year-old Jake, who were really a younger Lilly and Jason. This picture had been taken right before the kids had been taken back in time.

He realized now that it had been a stupid idea to keep them. His mom had advised against it. As much as he had enjoyed being a father, he had made it harder on himself by being a single parent for 3 years and it had been unfair to Lois that she had missed out on those years. The kids hadn't made their relationship come any faster. She didn't even know Lilly and Jason were her kids. She thought they were his orphaned relatives from Krypton that he had adopted and the kids thought the same thing. When Millie and Jake had left and became Lilly and Jason in 2006, it had torn Lois to pieces because she thought she had lost her children. He had wanted to tell her then how selfish and idiotic he had been. That he had made an unalterable mistake but he was afraid she would leave him. He thought some of Lilly's anger toward him came from her 4-year-old memories that only her subconscious knew about. This was not the life he had dreamed of. He carried such guilt and depression around that he had gone prematurely gray. The truth kept eating at him.

"Daddy?" 2-year-old Carol asked.

He scooped her up into his lap.

"I want Mommy!" she shouted and she kicked her legs.

Clark's eyes welled up with tears. It reminded him of young Lilly. He had promised Lilly that he would fix things but he hadn't. He owed them all an explanation.

That night, when Lois got back from getting groceries, he called a family meeting and told them everything. He watched the shock and pain come into their eyes. Lois left with the kids. She had yelled at him and Lilly had been right behind her. Jason looked too hurt for words. He was alone and he deserved it. They wouldn't be coming back.

"Kal-El, this will be your future if you continue down this chosen path"  
---

Clark woke up with beads of sweat in 2006.

He would take them back in the morning.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

He was walking toward the cave with his children. 

He shivered when he thought of his dream. Like most dreams it had been confusing and he didn't remember all of the details but it was the feelings that had been all too real. He had kept the children in his dream and that had forced him to lie to his family about the situation. The guilt and the pain from trying to have his future immediately and messing everything up was horrible.

He knew Jor-El had sent him the dream. His voice still echoed in his head and he had woke up sweating which never happened unless it had something to do with Krypton.

"Hey, wait up!"

A couple of days ago that voice would have made him cringe but now it made his heart skip a beat.

"Where are you all going?" Lois asked.

"I have to take them back to their parents."

"I wanted to give the three of you a sort of present before they leave. Lilly was right. I do write poems. I wrote an acrostic poem as an apology gift."

Clark felt a little guilty that Lois was going to read them one of her poems after he had tried to read them without her permission.

"It's called The Best Sunday I Ever Had by Lois Lane.

Sleeping in was not an option

Unified I became with a boy from Kansas and 2 children

Never thought I'd have much fun at church and a picnic

Dancing and playing like we were all little children

After all this time, I felt like a part of a great family

Yes, I have never had, nor will I ever have again, a better Sunday.

I know I'm not exactly Robert Frost but it's a nice way to let out your emotions."

"I think you're wonderful and a good writer." Clark replied, "I was just curious where do you keep your poems?"

"In a lead box with a lock. Why?"

"Why did you pick a lead box?"

"Chloe knows I write them and then put them away. For some weird reason she suggested lead. She said something about it blocking others' temptations."

That explained it.

They said their goodbyes to Lois and Clark said his goodbyes to the kids when they got to the fortress.

Jor-El sent them back, when both kids touched a crystal. Clark would see them in the future

---

"I can't seem to find the right crystal. You'd think it would be color coded or something. Oh, well. I thought it'd be a nice gesture for us to learn some Kryptonese but we don't need to. Our new cousin, Kara, learned English before she came. Why are you looking at me like that, Lilly?" Clark asked.

"Why are we back here doing the same thing?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh, you must've went and came back. It's okay, sweetheart. I knew you would be going back soon but let's not tell, Mommy. We wouldn't want her to worry."

"Worry about what?" Lois asked, coming back in.

"Nothing, honey. Are you okay?"

"It's just a little morning sickness."

Lilly hugged her and asked, "is it okay if I call you Mommy now?"

"Uh, I guess it is considering I am your mother," Lois said kissing the top of her head.

Lois picked Jason up and Jason said, "Lana."

"Clark, where on God's green earth did he pick up that name!"

"Lilly, why don't you take your brother over there to play and we'll go home in a few minutes."

"You promise?" Lilly asked.

"I promise," he replied.

Lilly carefully picked her brother up and took him to the other side of the room.

"Well, start explaining, Kent! Have you been talking about her or have you been letting her come by the house?"

"It's not what you think."

"It'd better not be what I think!"

"The kids were sent back in time and I had Lana baby sit them. He must've picked up her name."

"I've heard that husbands come up with some pretty wild stories to hide their affairs but this tops them all."

"It's true. Think back. Don't you remember a Lilly and Jason that stayed with Mom and me. Jor-El did it to help make my decisions easier and it did. Although I'd rather him not have interfered but he did and that's that. Lilly even called you Mommy one time. Remember?"

Oh my gosh! You're right. Those were our kids. So why didn't you tell me back then?"

"Could you have handled it back then?"

"Probably not. Wait a minute. Did you know back then we were going to get married and have kids one day?"

"Yeah. It actually caused me to develop feelings for you earlier than I would have."

"Then why in the heck did you go out with Lori Lemaris!"

"I almost forgot about her. I only went out with her because you and Chloe made me."

"We made you? I only made you because I thought you were going to die brooding over Lana! We didn't know I was going to be your wife!"

"I didn't love her. They were dates as friends. Besides, Lori was a mermaid. Have you ever heard of a mermaid and alien hitting it off? The little mermaid married a human. Mork married a human on Mork and Mindy. Mermaids and aliens have to marry Earth people, not each other. It's some kind of unwritten law of the universe."

"You think you're funny, Smallville?"

"No, ma'am. Did I ever tell you that you're cute when you're mad?"

"That line never works!" but she smiled. "Come on. Let's go home before I decide not to forgive you after all."

They linked arms, got the kids, and went home. They were a happy, loving family.

The End


End file.
